Self-playing musical instrument.



No. 795,313. PATENTED JULY 2.5, 1905. H. W. SHONNARD. SELF PLAYINGMUSIGAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 22. 1900.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

g wu% r ave toz .f 3513 flliltoz-mei md mg "aw H 5 ND "w u mm mm m. n10ml m mun/a1 nu wank-mu. u rv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

Application filed May 22,1900. Serial No. 17,621.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD W. SHoNNARD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inSelf-Playing Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to improvements in self-playing attachmentsfor musical instruments, and particularly for pianos and other keyboardinstruments; and it has for its object the provision of means wherebythe performer is enabled to modulate the tone force for purposes ofexpression either in accordance with his own ideas or as guided by signsupon the usual music-sheet.

My invention comprises means whereby the performer may convenientlyinspect the rolling music-sheet and observe the expressionsigns thereon,as well as mechanism whereby those signs may be translated at will intotone modulations for musical expression.

My invention further comprises means whereby sparks at the music-sheetare avoided, thereby prolonging the life of said sheet.

My invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a rear view of themagnet-carrying frame and swinging stops. Fig. 2 is a side view of thesame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing details of preferred mounting.Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the relation of the swinging bail orstop to the rockerarmature preferably used in this connection. Fig. 5 isa side View of a piano-keyboard, showing the mode of attachment of themusic-sheet and the means for inspection of expressionsigns. Fig. 6 is adiagram of circuits, showing the electrical relation of myspark-preventer to the other parts of my preferred attachment. Fig. 7 isa side view of the magnet-supporting frame as used in my pendingapplication showing the preferred mode of supporting my spark-preventersin connection with said magnets and frame; and Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the relations of the coils on my spark-preventer.

I have herein described and illustrated the principles of my inventionas applied to the specific form of self-playing attachment shown anddescribed in my prior application for patent, Serial No. 723,171, filedJuly 8, 1899; but it will be understood that many kinds of selfplayinginstruments may be supplied With improvements made in accordance with mypresent invention, and I am not to be limited to the application of saidinvention to the particular type of attachment set forth in theapplication aforesaid.

In the drawings the frame carrying the magnets for impelling theimmediate toneproducing agents, such as the striking-rod of a piano, isshown at 1. This frame is of the type shown in my application aforesaidand is to be applied to the keyboard as described in said application.The magnets and rockerarmatures shown in the drawings herein areemployed as in said application. These magnets are arranged, as shown,in two rows and over each row there are suspended three swinging bails 23 4 and 5 6 7, the same being provided, preferably, with softcontact-tips 8, as of felt. The use of a plurality of swinging stops orbails is to render it possible to independently control different partsof the total register of the instrument. It will be understood that oneor any number of bails may be used in this connection without departingfrom my invention. The tone-producing magnets in the lower row alternatewith those in the upper row, as well understood in this art, and it istherefore evident that the upper and lower bails should be made to actin vertical couples, so that the whole of each sec tion of the totalrange of the instrument may be controlled at once. For this purpose thebails 2 and 5, 3 and 6, and 4 and 7 act together as couples, asillustrated in Fig. 2. For this purpose the upper and lower bails areconnected by a rod 9, whereby they always remain substantially parallel.In order that the different bails may be conveniently controlled fromdevices compactly arranged at one end of the attachment, I have foundthe method of mounting illustrated in the drawings appropriate. For thispurpose the rods 10 and 11 are mounted for rotation in appropriatebrackets, as 12, and extend the whole length of the attachment. Aroundthese rods the sleeves 13 and 14 are adapted to rotate, and these extendonly past two of the three bails employed. Around the sleeves 13 and 14outer sleeves 15 and 16 are rotatably mountedand extend only the lengthof the first or right-hand bail. The bails 4 and 7 are fixed to the longrods 10 and 11, so as to swing with their rotation. The sleeves 13 and14 carry the bails 3 and 6 and the sleeves 15 and 16 carry the bails 2and 4. The substantially vertical rod 9 insures simultaneous movementsof the long rods and 11. The rod 17 acts in the same way for the sleeves13 and 14, and the rod 18 connects sleeves and 16. i The mode ofoperation of each independently-movable bail couple is illustrated inFig. 2. Here is shown a prime lever 19, to which is connected aforwardly-extending rod 20, extending to a convenient point in the frontof the keyboard 20, Fig. 2, and passing through the double bracket 2122. The spring 23, abutting upon the forward part 22 of said bracket,tends always to push the rod 20 back into the position shown in Fig. 2,thus allowing full scope to the armatures controlled by thecorresponding bails. By using a trigger, as 24, in front of theinstrument the performers finger may be made to govern the position ofeach independent bail at will. Of course the number of triggers thusused would depend upon the number of sections into which the totalregister of the instrument was divided and the corresponding number ofswinging bails or stops. As shown in Fig. 4, the bails, with their felttips 8, are so hung over the rockerarmatures 25 that in proportion as atrigger is pulled forward against the spring 23 and the rod 9 is pulledupward the tip 8 approaches the normal position of the rocker, thuspermitting it less and less upward or active movement when thecorresponding magnet 26 is energized. The more this upward throw islimited the less will be the effect of each armature upon itsstriking-rod 27 and the softer will be the tone produced. ,Thestriking-rod may be made to operate the hammers of the piano in variousobvious ways; but I prefer to accomplish this by causingsaid rods toabut beneath the rear ends of the finger-keys 27", Fig.- 2, thusproducing the same effect as when the forward end of the key isdepressed by the finger. It is to be understood, of course, that eacharmature has its own striking-rod and that there is a separate armaturefor each key 27. In Fig. 2 the finger-key is shown depressed at thefront end, as when the hammer has just been operated. It is thus evidentthat by proper manipulation of the triggers or their equivalents anydesired force of tone may be produced, and the various portions of thetotal register may be thus regulated independently.

In some self-playing instruments expres sion-marks have been placed uponthe musicsheet which indicate by their form or position the variouselements of musical expression appropriate to the particular piece ofmusic out into that sheet. In cases where the music sheet is arrangedbeneath the keyboarchas shown at 28, the performer cannot see the sheetduring the playing of the music. I have therefore mounted upon theforward edge of the keyboard a means for diverting the lightrays to theperformers eye. In the drawings this is shown in the form of a prism 29,

whereby the performer is enabled to see along the line 30. By makingthis prism as long as the music-sheet is wide the performer may seeexpression-marks made in any portion of the sheet and can thus be guidedin producing the expression intended by the makers of the sheet. It willbe obvious that there may be used in this connection other means wellknown for diverting light-rays, and I am not to be limited to the prismfor this purpose.

Means have hitherto been employed in pianofortes for moving thepiano-hammers to different starting-points with respect to theirdistances from the wires when at rest. This has been done for varyingthe volume of the tone produced. In my invention I avoid the objectionof having to move the hammer-keys all together, as has been donehitherto. The weight of a row of piano-hammers or the spring-pressurenecessary to bring them all back rapidly enough to follow quick changesin tone volume would make the manipulation of such means by the fingersvery tiring and prevent rapid changes in tone and accent requisite forthe best performance. In my device a separate piano-player is providedhaving lightacting levers or rockers, and the regulation of the totaltravel of such operating-levers, whether accomplished by checking theforward movement thereof or their return movement, implies very littleeffort, thus making the modulator as claimed by me appropriate for handuse.

In my preferred form of tone-modulator, as shown herein, the hammers arethrown forward by the full force of the magnets, and. the degree ofprojectile force is regulated by interrupting the impelling effortsooner or later by changing the positions of the bails, as described.

Another important feature of this invention is the means whereby theformation of injurious sparks at the contact-linger tips is avoided andthe music-sheet thus preserved from gradual destruction. In Figs. 6, 7,and 8 this is illustrated. The means found best consist of a pair ofindependent wires 31 and 32 (see Fig. 8) insulated from each otherthroughout their entire length and coiled together upon a spool 33,which may or may not contain iron or steel. One end of each wire is leftinsulated,-while the opposite ends are con neeted to t'erminals'3 i 35on the spool. lVhen these spools are placed upon the instrument, theyare mounted upon spindles 2,6 and the terminals 3 1 and 35 arerespectively clipped by springs 37 and 38, whereby each spool is broughtinto electrical relation with one magnet 26. The nature of thiselectrical relation is shown in Fig. 6, wherein the pairs of coiledwires are diagrammatically represented at 39. The main current coming inat 4:0 41 divides into two principal branches, one through thedriving-motor 42 and the other through the contact-fingers 43 andcorresponding magnets 26. The bar 44 indicates a common return for themagnets. These contact-fingers and magnets are devices well understoodin the art of self-playing electrical instruments operated by aperforated music-sheet. preventing coil oneterminal, as 34, connectsthrough spring 37 to that end of the corresponding magnet-coil 26 whichis connected to the corresponding contact-finger a3. The otherterminal'35 connects by spring 38 to a common return-wire 4:5,leadingback to theline by the switch 46. The pair of wires 39 would thus form ashunt around the circuit-break at its corresponding finger 43 upon theroller 47 were it not that the wires 31 and 32, composing the doublecoil, are insulated from each other over their entire length.

The above-described arrangement has been found to prevent absolutely theoccurrence of sparks injurious to the music-sheet. Whether this is atall due to action analogous to that of the condenser is not known, butexperiment shows that the effect desired can only be attained withcondensers when these are of large capacity and are carefully adjustedwith regard to detailed conditions of size, voltage, &c., in each case.With the coils described, however, a great range of size and length ofwire, of number of turns, &c., is permissible without appreciabledifference in power to prevent sparks, and, moreover, the staticcapacity of the coils used is relatively small. As an example ofdimensions which have been found eminently successful in actual practicethe following may be given: Where magnets 26 are used onone-hundred-and-ten-volt circuits, such magnets having a resistance oftwo hundred ohms per set and being wound with wire eight mils indiameter the spark-preventer was wound with enough wire of the same sizeto give a resistance of ten ohms.

The particular electrical connection illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings (while not absolutely essential to performance of some of thefunctions of my spark-preventer) is important whether my coils areused'or large specially-adjusted condensers replace them, since if shortcircuit accidentally occurs from one wire to the other or from one plateto the other of a condenser no destructive current can take advantage ofthe new path to pass through the finger-tip and form a destructive arc,which burns the paper. On the other hand, the proper magnet 26 receivescurrent through the short circuit, which holds down the correspondingkey and betrays to the operator the location of the trouble. Removal ofthe short-circuited spool and replacement by another supplies animmediate remedy.

Variations in the constructions herein set forth will occur to thoseskilled in this art, and I am not to be understood as limiting myself tothe exact details as herein shown and described.

In each spark-- What I claim is 1. In an electric self-playing musicalinstrument, an electromagnet, a rocker-armature and a striking-rodimpelled by said armature; in combination with a movable stop for thearmature and means whereby said stop may be brought into different partsof the path of the operative movement of said rocker at will.

2. In an electric self-playing musical instrument, means for producingtone, a magnet and armature for operating said means, a swingingbail-pivoted over one end of said armature and means for varying theposition of said bail with relation to the position of rest of saidarmature.

3. In an electric self-playing musical instrument, a magnet,arocker-armatu re and a striking-rod impelled by said armature; incombination with a swinging bail pivoted over the active end of saidarmature, and means whereby said bail may be swung with its lower edgenearer to or farther from the position of rest of said armature.

4. In a self-playing attachment for musical instruments, a row ofmagnets and armatures, two or more swinging bails pivoted abovesuccessive sections of said row and a rotatable rod and sleeve onewithin the otherto which said bails are secured.

5. In combination with a 'pianoforte, an automatic player for operatingthe keys thereof, said player comprising a lever for operating eachpiano-key to be-acted on, a separate means for moving each lever, anadjustable stop in the path of movement of said levers and means forvarying the position of said stop with relation to said levers, wherebythe total operative movement of said levers may be more or less limited,substantially as described.

6. In an electric self-playing musical instrument, two rows ofoperating-magnets, actuating-armatures governed by said magnets, one ormore swinging bails over each row of magnets and armatures, mechanicalconnecting means uniting said bails so as to make them swing togetherand means for moving said bails in couples.

7. In an electrically-operated keyed musical instrument, a series ofmagnets, means actuated by said magnets for operating the keys of saidinstrument, a contact-finger electrically connected to each magnet andmeans for producing make and break of circuit at each finger; incombination with a spark-preventing coil for each magnet, each coilbeing composed of two mutually-insulated coiled wires, one end of one ofsaid wires being electrically connected to the circuit between acorresponding contact-finger and magnet and one end of the other wirebeing electrically connected with the operating-circuit on the otherside of the circuit-break at the corresponding finger, substantially asdescribed.

8. In an electrically-operated musical instrument, contact-fingers forcontrolling the circuits, operating-magnets, a support and two electricterminals corresponding to each magnet and a spool carrying twomutually-insulated conducting-wires, one end of eachof which is adaptedto make contact with said terminals when said spool is placed upon saidsupport.

9. In an electrically-operated musical instrument, contact-fingers forcontrolling the circuits, magnets for impelling; the operating means, aspindle and two contact-springs near each magnet and a spool carryingtwo mutually-insulated coi'iducting-wires one end of each of which isadapted to make contact with said springs when said spool is placed uponsaid spindle.

HAROLD WV. SHONNARD. WVitnesses:

JAMES lVlORGAN, HAROLD S. MAGKAYE.

